Racist attacks: terrified mother fears for her children and safety after thugs throw paint bombs at home

Cars and houses in East Belfast vandalised and graffiti daubed on walls in a series of 'orchestrated' hate crimes

Ruzena Lakatosovawas with two of her daughters at their home which was attacked in East Belfast

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A mother targeted by thugs during a spree of racist attacks revealed how she fears for her children.

Ruzena Lakatosovawas at the East Belfast home she has lived at for two years when yobs hurled paint bombs at her windows, smashing one and showering her living room with silver paint on Monday.

Paint was also splashed over the front of the property at Bloomfield Avenue, which was one of a number of homes and cars in the area that were vandalised.

Police are treating the “orchestrated” attacks as racist hate crimes.

Speaking on Tuesday at her wrecked home, Ruzena, from Slovakia, said she was watching TV when she heard a loud smash as the paint came into her home.

Clearly shaken, she added: “I was very scared, it was a big shock and I was very scared for my children.”

Ruzena said she has never had problems before but is worried the thugs “may come again”.

The mum lives with her three daughters aged eight, 11 and 14.

She said she had always found people in Northern Ireland to be “very good” and has no idea why her house was targeted.

In nearby Rosebery Street, a Romanian family were too afraid to speak but the evidence of what happened was clear as a car parked outside had its windows smashed and a paint bomb had been hurled through the back windscreen.

A number of young children live in the home. A source close to the family told the Mirror they are “well integrated into the community and there’s never been any problems before”.

Shocked neighbours Julie-Anne Burton and Gillian Elliot look at the damage caused to a neighbour's car

A car was also attacked on Ravenscroft Street and a number of walls in the area were daubed with racist graffiti, such as “Romanians Out” and references to neo-Nazi group Combat 18.

Police said they were aware of eight separate incidents in the area at around 10.50pm and that a group of men were seen running towards Ravenscroft after the attacks.

Supt Mark McEwan said the yobs targeted “family homes where there were young children”.

He explained the vandalism was “clearly racially motivated and there was a level of orchestration. However, at this stage it is impossible to say if any particular group was involved”.

Supt McEwan added: “These incidents which took place last night were designed to intimidate families within those homes.”

A large rise in racist incidents has been recorded across Belfast since a PSNI operation targeting perpetrators began in May.

Police said 21 searches have been conducted, 20 people were arrested with five being charged.

A range of ethnic minorities have been targeted in recent times, including Poles and those of African descent.

Supt McEwan said police were pursuing a number of lines of inquiry.

The officer added he did not believe the attacks are “reflective of the area of East Belfast” and asked for local people to help him catch the perpetrators.

Alliance MLA Judith Cochrane described the attacks as “absolutely horrifying” and said the crimes “cannot be allowed to continue”.

She added: “Alliance representatives have been in the area this morning and previously conducted a number of surveys and know these attacks are not reflective of the larger community.

“East Belfast has so much to offer, yet these ongoing shameful incidents are continuing to put our local community under the spotlight for unwanted reasons.

“We must unite together to bring an end to them.”

Racist graffiti is removed after being daubed on walls in East Belfast

Democratic Unionist MLA Robin Newton said those behind the vandalism “speak and act for nobody but themselves and will be condemned by all right-thinking people”.

He added: “It is utterly shameful the reputation of our community should be tarnished by racist thugs who offer nothing but hatred and bitterness.

“I would appeal in the strongest terms possible for those behind these attacks to stop and for anyone who has information about their identity to come forward and share it with the PSNI.

“Violent racist criminals have no place in our community.”

Ulster Unionist MLA Michael Copeland said the people “responsible for last night’s attacks need to seriously consider the impact it has on the image of East Belfast”.

Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness hit out at the incidents and called on “society to stand together against those involved in hate crimes”.

PUP councillor John Kyle condemned the attacks as “wrong, damaging, and counterproductive”.

He said: “While recognising there are difficult and complex issues within the community, these problems are best dealt with by discussion and a co-ordinated community response.”